Entwined Lives

VII

Sivi was amused, surprised, ecstatic and in a little bit of regret. She ,for almost the first time in years, raised her hand, stood up and volunteered to answer a question in class. It seemed like it was a bridge that only Sivi feared to cross. Everyone else, simply based on their mood answered questions. She knew, it wasn't a big deal, no one was going to punish her for attempting to answer a question from her vision. But over the years, as she grew to be eligible to attend the secondary school and as bodily changes took place in her, she started to think she wasn't good enough in anything that she took up. The way she looked became a huge part of her importance for herself. She had become increasingly insecure. As she would, on a day when she was more willing, consider standing up to answer a question,subconscious barriers of her mind would deter her - 'What if my skirt is stained or I might look too short or I may possibly choke on words or....'

But that day, she crossed the bridge! She didn't make the situation any bigger than it really was, and just spoke her knowledge. Though, what she regretted was that, so much time, was lost, spent in fear, that had all along been simply, thin air.

* * *

She jumped into his arms and kissed his forehead. The answer had been established.

Gapo and Ms.Mytla, had a 'thing' going on, for quite sometime then, 2 years. The 'thing' was such that it didn't have a name.

Over those years, they felt love through air. Looks and smiles that cut through the air to kindle warmth, occasional small talks that made days more colorful for the two. See, they had never, though, felt the warmth they kindled directly. That was the orthodox era that it was.

Gapo whisked away Ms.Mytla that afternoon. He didn't allow her to catch that bus she had been waiting for. Supposedly, she had stayed back in school for unannounced extra classes.
They just talked and walked and walked, and reached by the river bank. They sat there, legs cleansing, hands sweating, just talking and smiling and blushing. She realized she loved him. And that he loved her too, for real. And that she had said yes to unison in matrimony with him, for real. But.. how could it turn out the way they wished it to? Her father loved her but, 'a love marriage?' was too much for him to allow. He wouldn't. And even if, in the end, after ,don't know, even years of persuasion, he did agree, her mother wouldn't even give it a second look and would make sure her father wouldn't too. Her mother had always made it very clear to Ms.Mytla that she was a girl and that she would have rather preferred a boy, who would carry on the family name, work and bring in money. And that since she was a girl, she didn't have any say in big decisions like marriage. Her mother had never loved Ms.Mytla the way she loved her brothers and that, she was sure to reflect in every word that left her lips.

Ms.Mytla told all this that she feared, to Gapo. Both tensed, he trusted his gut and promised her and gave assurance that they would do whatever it would take to make it happen. Because they loved each other.